Highlights from the Warsaw event

First experience exchange event of CREATIVE METROPOLES project in Warsaw brought together more than 100 participants and representatives from EUROCITIES Creative Industries Working Group. 11 cities participating in the project had brought with them more than 20 representatives from CI and more than 10 policy makers to participate in the event. In a very creative atmosphere at Legiony Fortress presentations on the research results and case studies were given. This event proved that there are already many existent good practices in the field of creative industries that could be seen in the various presentations on the particular support mechanisms and projects. However, it also proved that the public sector’s support can be elaborated and diversified in many ways.

According to the conference participants, the cities should be more active in establishing policies that would enhance rent of working spaces for the creative sector companies at preferential prices. The right space which enables networking within the sector is often the crucial factor for the creative companies success. Also, since many creative entrepreneurs lack business experience and knowledge about how the market works, there is a strong need for support in terms of coaching. The existing financing instruments for SMEs can be easily applied also in the creative sector. However, the specific needs of the creative sector can be satisfied only with a wide range of innovative financial aids, such as competitions, prices, instruments applied in the R&D sector, and, perhaps, microloans similar to those developed by the Nobel prize winner, professor Mahammad Yunus. Another important field where the authorities could help is organization of a platform for exchanging contacts and services among creative companies and their clients. Those could be established either as internet platforms or fairs. And finally, there are also public procurement procedures that could be applied by the city in order to enhance the creative sector development.

Representative from the project research team Külliki Tafel-Viia (Estonia) according to the CREATIVE METROPOLES mapping results emphasized that public sector’s role in enhancing the demand for CI can be seen in various directions: towards CI industry itself, towards businesses, individuals and towards all involved sectors. Correspondingly, city can enhance the demand as a buyer of CI products and services, by ensuring support for the business networking and attraction of foreign investments, by providing educational activities for society and individuals, as well as enhancing their involvement, and promoting the city at home and abroad.

“Demand side policies play very important balancing role and therefore need more support!” /Külliki Tafel-Viia/

Robert Marijnissen (Amsterdam) pointed out that in most cities CI are seen as means to an end, i.e., investments in CI are done in order to achieve other more economical goals such as tourism development, business reputation etc. According to Mr Marijnissen’s view, there are two directions for the future – “either we agree that „this is it” – we have done enough for CI and moving to another sector, or „this is not it” – we will make better policies”.

“We have to coordinate this multi-actor and multilevel game with a great variety of measures!” /Robert Marijnissen/

Representative from the CI businesses Christoph Fahle (Betahaus/Berlin) commented that „creative guys need some space and interesting people around, then everything happens itself. Policies are way too complicated.” However, CREATIVE METROPOLES project representatives from Berlin also pointed out that creative entrepreneurs, like Betahaus, are doing the same complicated policy making just on a smaller scale, as they have to organize their daily work.

Case study presentations as well as information on different support mechanisms is a fruitful basis for the planning of partner-to-partner study visits that will take place next year within the project CREATIVE METROPOLES.